Ad spending grows by scant 1.28% in first nine months
In the first nine months of this year, advertising spending barely eked out growth of 1.28 per cent to Bt85.6 billion from Bt84.52 billion after some brands cut their marketing budgets for major channels such as radio, newspapers, cinemas and outdoor and
Television was still the leader with 60 per cent of the market. TV ad expenditures edged up 2.63 per cent to Bt52 billion from Bt50.7 billion in the same period last year.
Other traditional media suffered a decline.
Radio ad spending slid by 0.94 per cent to Bt4.63 billion from Bt4.67 billion, newspapers by 0.75 per cent to Bt11.06 billion from Bt11.15 billion, cinemas by 5.49 per cent to Bt5.42 billion from Bt5.74 billion and outdoor media by 10.1 per cent to Bt3 billion from Bt3.44 billion.
However, new media like transit and the Internet seemed to be a cost-effective alternative.
In the period, the Internet was the hottest channel, surging more than 50 per cent to Bt651 million from Bt429 million, while transit media jumped 20.75 per cent to Bt2.6 billion from Bt2.15 billion.
Eyeing the rise of advertising spending via transit media, Thai Ticket Major, the country’s largest ticketing operator, is branching out into the business by providing software and special contents for 30 major bus companies including Nakhon Chai Air, Sahaphan Roi-Et Tour, Cherdchai Tour, Phetprasert, Phitsanu Lok Yanyont Tour and Siam First Tour.
The new service would reach more than 2 million, or about 30-40 per cent, of bus passengers travelling from Bangkok to major provinces each month.
Deputy managing director Komkrit Sirirat said yesterday that this new business would help to offset the risk in ticketing.
In a couple years, the company hopes to reduce ticketing from 70 per cent to 60 per cent of total revenue by increasing revenue from advertising, transit media and bus ticketing. The firm expects its total revenue will rise 20 per cent to Bt250 million this year.
